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Not greatly happy with this camera. Mainly the short battery life when taking video. I made the firmware update that covers the low battery indicator light on video capture and still after a few video clips the low battery light shows up. This is disappointing because, it frustrates me, so much, that I start to doubt the camera performance. I wanted a camera to take pictures and clips on an everyday basis. This problem inhibits me and I am sad because, I did so much research on this bloody camera. I will start the process of contacting Canon and Pixmania to vent my frustration.

I bought this model because I have a power shot A570 which i love so much and never miss a shot! I¨ve taken beautiful images with it,but I wanted one with more pixels and one I could hook up to tha wall to recharge..
So I bought this camera…and I have a love-hate realationship with it…First, the pop-up flash gets in the way of your finger when holding the camera..in time this will damage it…Second, it´s on automatic and even still the pictures come out blurry…this bit about having to press it half-way is a bad thing…I´ve missed some very good shots and moments…Next, and this is why I´m going to the shop to return it or something…it´s having problems when I first want to turn it on…it doesn´t…it stays black…it “warms-up” then finally I can use it…And I haven´t tried filming yet…Other than that,...it takes beautiful pictures….

Hey there!
I’m thinking between Canon Powershot SX270 HS, Sony Cyber-shot DSC-HX20V and Canon PowerShot SX510 HS.
Which one has the best picure quality? Which is the best buy for their money?
Thanks for your answers!
Cira

Thank you so much for your Canon SX270 HS review, it helped me a lot! In fact, this is, in few words, a good compact camera (discreet, fits in your pants pocket) with an amazing 20x superzoom (for the macro lovers like me), period. The Canon SX50 HS would be the most logical choice, because it’s far superior, but it’s a huge camera (like all semi professionals), very uncomfortable to carry, besides being an attractive for burglars (yes, I live in a big city).

One serious defect that I can quote (besides the annoying and unwanted popping flash) is a firmware problem like her sister Canon SX280 HS: the battery indicator shows that the battery is discharged in ‘video recording mode’, but not automatically turn off the camera as in SX280 HS (what a relief!). In this case, just turn off and turn on the camera that the battery indicator returns to normal. I hope that Canon releases a fix for this problem as soon as possible.

Hi My SX270 is back at Canon for the second time as the camera doesn’t appear to recognise that the battery is charged. You switch it off and on again and sometimes it works. On other occasions it doesn’t switch on at all and after a couple of goes it is fine. |Sometimes it only takes 2 photos and needs charged for 5 minutes.

I am very pleased with the camera only point and shot so far. Canon sent it back the first time with a new battery no change so just waiting to see what happens this time. Because of this I wouldn’t recommend the camera.

As a regular 40D and 600D user, I wanted a replacement for my ancient 5mp Fuji compact that lives in my car. The SX270HS has proved to be an eye-opener regarding image quality - even getting (if slightly soft) images at full digital zoom.
I have yet to get used to back-screen framing and the delay in spotting a shot and it actually taking the image, but for outdoor use it is superb.
Do buy a spare battery and amputate the finger that gets in the way of the pop-up flash - I turn off flash whenever possible. Set on a small tripod the movie results were superb of small birds on a feeder. I would recommend anyone to consider this little beast as a back-up for your DSLR - but remember it does not react instantly.

Canon MUST made NEW firmware, because version 1.0.2.0 has the same problem in video mode.I bought four batteries. Probably Canon maked mistake in construction of voltage chips. Anyway Canon must resolve conection for external battery. NOT Canon ACK DC40 adapter.

hi got the same problem that it cannot open, or during several shots with open lens it stops and wants a new battery, even the battery is fully charged, trying again with a fully charged replacement battery doesn’t solve the oroblem. several hours later its back to normal,
who else has the same problems?

My camera came back for the second time from Canon still not fixed so I sent it back to the company I bought it from and asked for my money back.

I eventually got my money back in full. I found another review, can’t remember where, and someone had the exact same problem I had with the camera not recognising whether the battery was charged or not, an intermittent fault.

I would still like another Canon but will be very careful and read all the reviews first.

I commented earlier, but now have had the same problem as others. In video mode the camera has a habit of telling you that the battery needs charging although restarting it shows full. This proved a problem when I least wanted it! Missing film of grandchildren performing - but now i know to ignore the messages when I know it has been in use well under the expected time.

I have had I think 3-4 Canon cameras - all with the same problem and I thought it was the batteries but it isn’t, its the camera.

One of them I took back to where it was purchased - it was sent away and I was told there was nothing wrong with it. There was and the camera has never worked and I couldn’t get a refund. Not at all happy. I’m taking my latest purchase back for a full refund to never purchase another Canon Camera. Had enough of the battery problems.

Heya! I really would like to buy a new camera but im not sure which one ...i read the comments on this one and barely any of them are positive. I honestly wouldn’t like to spend too much money on a camera maybe about the cost of this camera would be good…any suggestions? Thank you.

I returned the Canon I purchased and got my money back! Kept turning off and stopping because of the extremely low battery life - 2mins!!!

I purchased a Fujifilm 5x zoom hdmovie 16mp which takes great pics and I can actually record a movie without it stopping! I can record a 30 mins or 1hr movie if I choose - there are different time frames in the settings and best of all it only cost me aud$99 in Target!! I would recommend this camera, its great! I’m also very surprised at how well it goes, lots of different settings to choose from.

Thanks Roger! I purchased this camera and its working fine for me I absolutely love it. It does tend to get out of battery when recording a movie/video but i think i’ll do the same like you. Buy extra batteries. Thanks again. Bye!

While taking both photos and video the batteries just didn’t last, extremely short life and the camera kept turning off.

I have since purchased a Fujii with no problems at all - great little camera.
I would not recommend a Canon camera at all. Have had two and same problem. No one should have to purchase an extra battery to take photos, a ridiculous situation.

I’ve been a long user with the Canon S90. It produces very good picture despite its small size. I need to shoot a wide range of things, so I decided to switched into SX270HS. Initially, it performed ok, but then the battery problem started popping up. Somtimes it did not turn on at all with a fully charge battery. Tried many times. It finally turned on. Took maybe 3 or 4 pictures and turned itself off again asking for charging the battery. Canon gave me a big joke. I lost a lot of rare chances of shooting pictures. And I do not take videos, just point and shoot. This is frustrating and annoying. I am considering switching into other brand for another long zoom potable camera.

Everything is fine with this camera, but if it doesn’t turn on, this is just a waste of my money.

I purchased this Canon so I could have a strong zoom feature for my trip to Europe. The battery does not last. Spent $90 on a new one in Vienna, battery failed again. It is definitely the camera and not the batteries. I am very upset as I missed some great photo opportunities in Prague and Vienna. I would not recommend d this camera. My previous 2 Canon’s were great - I will call Canon and see if they have a solution.

I tried Canon, they suggested sending it back and said they had no knowledge of the problem. If I was nearer to the retailer, it would have been returned long ago.

If it was not for the problem with the battery usage, or rather the camera thinking the battery was in need of re-charging. Turning it off for a minute or so seems to think it had been recharged - the camera gives excelent results.

September 2013 I bought my third (!) Canon, this time SX 270, great untill it had the same battery problem I’m reading here. So far it has been in repair one time, after 3 weeks : same problem… You would think they recognized the problem by now but…nope…
Very dissapointed. Anybody knows an alternative for Canon in this range ?

Sorry friends, but things change. The same happens with companies: one minute are the best and most reliable, but the next minute they are no more. Canon has shot itself in the foot and opened the doors for Nikon to enter. These models have been quietly discontinued, there was NOT a worldwide recall (which makes me suspect that it was not really a defect, but rather something that was scheduled to be activated in the future with years of use - an obscure practice called Planned Obsolescence). But something went wrong ... I believe that someone inside the company wanted the people to know what was happening. It’s time to create strong laws to banish the Planned Obsolescence practices, forever!

I have same problems with the battery in the SX270. Sometimes totally unexpected the camera refuses to start up. Battery in and out no respons. Mostly licking the battery contacts solves the problem at that moment. An hour later same problem could occur.Sending to Canon does not help. I have not done firmware update you can read above that it does not help. In video mode same problem batteryindicator red ;battery out lick the contacts ; battery back in and you can take your video. Canon’s reaction was that I does not load the battery properly but in my opinion they are wrong. My thought about this problem goes not in direction of a software problem but in a mechanical problem. I think the contacts inside the camera are too low thye press not well enough against the battery contacts with a little dirt (is always there ) you get a little resistance and with an electrical current the voltage goes down. The greatertge current the graeter the voltage loss. (with video great current)The battery must be pressed down as much as it can. A square piece of tape under the hook that fixes the battery is maybe sufficient. Only undre the hook not on the whole side of the battery. Try and let know

I eventually got my money back from the company who were going to send it back to canon for a third time. I have now bought a Panasonic DMC-TZ35 which I am extremely pleased with. It will take a long time before I will buy a Canon camera again, I have had three so far and was very pleased with them. Canon has really let themselves down with the SX270.

Nice to hear from Elvira for money back. Finally, Canon has admitted a mistake with this camera. (I posted #9 on November 12, 2013 “Canon MUST made NEW firmware, because version 1.0.2.0 has the same problem in video mode…”)
A lot of posts with the same problem.
So I ask for help from Photographyblog to contact Canon to make again second new firmware for this camera. Thanks

It is sad to see that this camera is having such battery problems without Canon acting to solve the problem.
I too have one of these. The use in temperatures below zero is ... well below zero… you can’t use it because the camera won’t power up even with freshly charged battery. So, good by skiing holiday shots :(
Other than that, camera takes quite a lot of pics when 20+ Celsius.
When shooting videos, camera gets extremely hot. It dies after maybe 10 minutes without zoom. Touch the zoom during video recording and your done filming. So zoom BEFORE staring filming and forget about zooming during filming. This can really boost your filming to maybe even 10-15 short 3 minute films before dying.
Tried to update the firmware with no luck.
The quality of pictures in both bright and dark environment, pocket size and zoom keep me hanging on this model. For that - I have to give it a credit.